Featured Artist: Kathie Odom!

Kathie Odom | Midday Rest

Midday Rest by Kathie Odom  12×16″ Oil

Kathie Odom. Wonderful work! What a treat it was to peruse her paintings! I like the light feeling of this painting, the unfinished grass, the light shadows on the building and the dark interior which just made it all come together so nicely!

Interested in taking a workshop with Kathie? You may be in luck… there was a spot or two available last time I checked, I can’t promise there is still an opportunity, but it’s worth checking! I think this will be a tremendous opportunity if you’ll be in the Lake Toxaway, NC area in September (2015)!

Landscape in Oil From Photographs


Location: Lake Toxaway, NC

Read a bit about Kathie, from her  website:

Landscape painting feels like a new-found love, but it’s actually an old love, rediscovered.

Now I am expressing what has influenced my creativity for an entire lifetime… childhood memories of having both my father and grandfather in the building trade, an ever-present attraction to things of God, and a high school art teacher that showed me I had a love and an ability to create beauty.

Beauty and creativity connect me with God. When I am building oils onto a canvas, something is happening within me that cannot be explained with the word connection. With Him I begin to paint from my gut, even from my toenails! And it draws me even nearer to His people… which then takes me back to the dwellings, homes and landscapes that I paint. I think: Who lived in them? What was their life like? Did they recognize the beauty of their surroundings like I do?

With gratitude I am beginning to see what I have been given, and I am now accepting this gift of painting. 

All images via KathieOdom.com, used with permission…

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Recipe for Banana Nut Bread with Chocolate Chips – No Butter/Oil or Sugar!

 

This recipe is a treasure. Print it. Mark it so you don’t lose it. It’s a keeper forever and ever! Can you imagine a banana bread that is moist, sweet and decadent, all without the use of butter, oil or sugar?! I know, I was hesitant, but I thought… hmmm, give it a whirl, WHAT IF IT’S GOOD?

It. Is.

I made half with chocolate chips, because I wasn’t sure how chocolate chips would taste in banana bread… Well… DUH! FABULOUS!

I found this recipe on Pinterest (thank you Pinterest!) – it comes from a blog called RunningWithSpoons.com – that link will take you to the recipe, but check out the recipes on their blog… good stuff!

Instead of sugar, this recipe uses maple syrup, and not much, only 1/4 cup! I used White Wheat Flour and I couldn’t tell a difference. You can substitute white wheat flour 1:1 with all purpose flour (unlike regular whole wheat flour). I did not use the brown sugar mentioned in the regular recipe (and the original recipe mentions that you don’t have to use it). If your banana’s are sweet and freckled :) then you won’t need it!

Click HERE to print the recipe below… Images below…

ArtFoodHome.com | barbara stroud

Here is the chocolate chip side :) Ok… Confession: I added too many. I got crazy with the Whole Foods 365 Brand Chocolate Chunks. They are amazing! Next time I will add a handful for 1/2 loaf. Not that this is bad, hee hee… it’s amazing!

IMG_3854

Here is Fred’s half… plain (well, I added walnuts). This has a wonderful taste and is perfect packed into a lunch. It helps hold you a while! It’s perfect alongside a green smoothie!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Ilene Gienger!

Ilene Gienger | ArtFoodHome.com

Lipstick  |  31×19.5″  |  Pastel on Paper

Ilene Gienger. Just look at how she can make pastels bring a subject to life on paper! I love the unfinished, cool abstracty background. This is an amazing piece of work! Great color harmony!

Ilene Gienger |ArtFoodHome.com

Amy on Red Couch From Life  |  8×16″  |  Oil on Panel

Another that I think is fabulous unfinished! It lets your brain finish it for you! That red… dynamite!

Check out Ilene’s blog, it’s full of great information and fabulous paintings!

Read a bit about Ilene, from her website:

Growing up in a rural area of southern Oregon, Ilene comes from a community of self-sufficient residents—a town where strong family values and hard work has shaped both her personality and her paintings. 

She was introduced to art at an early age and by the time she had reached her 20’s, she decided to pursue a career in art, enrolled in and graduated from Southern Oregon University, and in the 1990’s began instruction with renowned workshop painters.

For twenty years, Ilene has produced collectable paintings that now hang in homes, businesses and galleries across the country. She has been recognized as a highly accomplished pastelist and oil painter and has been featured in magazine articles such as the Pastel Journal, American Artist, SW Art and International Artist.  She is a signature member of Women Artist’s of the West, the Northwest Pastel Society, American Impressionist Society and the Pastel Society of America. Her honors include an award of merit from American Women Artists, first in the Women Artist’s of the West Exhibition, second in the Northwest Pastel Society’s International Exhibition, second in American Impressionist Society’s Exhibition and was an active juror for the portrait/figurative category of the Pastel Journal 100 Competition.

Whether oils or pastels Ilene’s works share the same freshness and confidence, portraying the mood and personality of ordinary and extraordinary people—figures whose inner essence comes through in a quiet and endearing manner. 

Ilene continues to share her skill and love for painting through national workshops and private instruction, both locally and nationally. She conducts weekly open modeling sessions at her home studio where local artists gather and paint from live models.

She is currently represented by Roby King Galleries in Bainbridge Island, Washington and Cole Gallery, Edmonds, Washington.  Her images can also be viewed online at: http:www.ilenegienger.com.

Images via IleneGienger.com, used with permission…

Catch you back here tomorrow!

T I M E   T O   C E L E B R A T E   G O O D   T I M E S , W o o H o o ! ! !

Port Clyde, Maine | ArtFoodHome.com

Several years ago we rented the coolest cottage in Port Clyde, Maine… The Periwinkle. Oh how I love that cottage. So cool, it was like a movie set inside. Very rustic, which was part of the charm, a large roaring fireplace and just steps from the ocean.

It was only a short walk to the Port Clyde General Store or to Marshall Point Lighthouse. I would like to live there, ha ha… Wouldn’t we all?

My mom and dad joined us for their 50th wedding Anniversary that year – way to go mom and dad! There aren’t a lot of people who can say that these days. I took this photo on that visit! I love it! So this year is their 57th Anniversary!! Woohoo, you guys are the best!

ArtFoodHome.com

Today is also my sister’s birthday, Bridget Jennings… Happy birthday to you! Make it a special day – you certainly deserve it!

Enjoy your birthday! Wish you were here to celebrate!

Bridget Jennings | ArtFoodHome.com

Catch you back here tomorrow!

 

Featured Artist: Eric Green! Opening Friday, August 7, 2015 at Dowling Walsh Gallery…

Eric Green | ArtFoodHome.com

Leaf by Eric Green  29″x44″  Acrylic

Eric Green. His work is always impeccable. Different. It captures your attention!

Dowling Walsh gallery in Rockland, Maine is having an opening for Eric, showcasing his paintings and drawings. Be sure to check them out! Opening reception is TONIGHT, August 7, 2015 from 5-8PM.

Remember when he did those time diptychs? How incredible were those! Painting after painting of fascinating subject matter!

Read a bit about Eric, from the Dowling Walsh website:

Eric Green went to RISD on a full scholarship at the age of sixteen. After attending the school for a week, he left to ride freights across the country, spending four years on the road.

In addition to painting for thirty years, he has worked in a frame shop, assembled pulp testers, traveled with a carnival, restored houses, painted industrial buildings from a hanging scaffold, designed two labels for Brazilian beers, written four novels and a column for the local paper. He has had two solo exhibitions in SoHo and Chelsea, received three grants, and a merit award from the National Academy of Design.

In New England, Eric’s paintings have been exhibited at the Ogunquit Museum, Brattleboro Museum, Robert Hull Fleming Museum, and the Portland Museum.

Image used with permission from the artist…

Catch you back here tomorrow!

House Plan: The Fairview Ridge Plan by Allison Ramsey Architects!

Allison Ramsey | ArtFoodHome.com

This is the Fairview Ridge house plan by Allison Ramsey Architect. This plan is 2,097 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.

What a statement! Just look at that entrance. WOW! It’s hard to tell from this drawing but you’ll see a link in this post so that you can see actual images of a real house, interior and exterior. Fabulous porch, wonderful cuts in the roof that add so much charm and character!

Allison Ramsey | ArtFoodHome.com

A wrap around porch is so wonderful. It makes the sides seem more private and the front out in the open. It would be nice to screen one side to have a place to run in case the mosquitoes make their presence known! Nice open Great/Dining/Kitchen area! And… if you really loved this plan but needed a downstairs bedroom, maybe something could be done to enlarge the sunroom space a bit? I’m no architect but I know they always have great ideas!

I love how Allison Ramsey also includes images of this house plan that was built (interior and exterior).

Allison Ramsey | ArtFoodHome.com

The upstairs shows the Master in front with a Master Bath, and two Bedrooms each with their own Bathrooms.

All images via AllisonRamseyArchitect.com, used with permission…

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Megan Aline!

Megan Aline | ArtFoodHome.com

Megan Aline. She’s got some wonderful small works on display at the LITTLE BIG show at Robert Lange Studios. This show is featuring the works of Megan (little works) and Adam Hall (larger works). If you’re in the Charleston, SC you aren’t going to want to miss this show. As always, Robert Lange Studio’s is the happening gallery about town. They know how to do things right.

Are you going to be in the Charleston, SC area this weekend? Don’t miss it: Opening reception is Friday, August 7 from 5-8PM. Paintings are on view from 8/7-8/28/2015! If you’re interested in any of the paintings in the Little Big show don’t hesitate, there are already a lot of red dots!

Read a bit about the show HERE

Read a bit about Megan, from the gallery website:

Born 1981 Thomaston, Maine

“Art attracts us only by what it reveals of our most secret self.” ~ Jean-Luc Godard

Megan says, “As a beginning, I have chosen to explore the theme of serene motion on land and water in several of the series I have produced thus far. The technique of creating motion with brush strokes in a calm nature scene represents much of the childhood nostalgia that simultaneously fascinates me– such as time, nature, recreation, and light. Painting also provides a source of identification for me, as it displays the same nuances as many of my own childhood activities. My images indicate a precision of detail and an attention to form are as important as the easy grace and melodious balance of the overall composition.”

Megan Aline grew up in Thomaston, Maine. In this small, mid-coast Maine town, Aline, as a child, was able to take classes at the Farnsworth Art Museum, rub elbows with American Realists Andrew and Jamie Wyeth and photographers from the Maine Photographic Workshop, including John Paul Capinagro. With family lineage including the classical realist, William Davis, Aline was raised with a broad liberal arts education. At the college level, she complemented the humanistic study of literature and art with the practical skills of business administration while attending the Universidad de los Andes in Venezuela, Regent’s College in London and receiving her BFA from the University of New Hampshire.

Art became even more of a central focus in Aline’s life when she married hyper-realist Robert Lange, a renowned artist sharing her New England heritage. The two learned and practiced fundamental artistic techniques while Lange completed his education at Rhode Island School of Design. After moving to South Carolina in 2003, the couple opened a Fine Art Gallery and much of Aline’s time was spent in an administrative role. However, her natural and unique talent became quickly self-evident, and she began painting along side her husband. After five years of working with Lange, Aline decided to focus exclusively on developing her own style.

Aline has chosen to explore the theme of serene motion on land and water in several of the series she has produce thus far. The technique of creating motion with brush strokes in a calm nature scene represents much of the childhood nostalgia that simultaneously fascinate her – such as time, nature, recreation, and light. Painting also provides a source of identification for Aline, as it displays the same nuances as many of her own childhood activities exploring the woods of Maine.  Aline’s images indicate that a precision of detail and an attention to form are as important as the easy grace and melodious balance of the overall composition.

Aline’s series have been enthusiastically collected by several private and public collectors across the country.

Image via RobertLangeStudios.com, used with permission…

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Salad with grilled chicken, quinoa, avocado and more!

ArtFoodHome.com | barbara stroud

Healthy tip: Add a little (cooked) quinoa to your salad! It’s delicious!

What I did:

I cooked the quinoa (according to package directions) ahead of time and put it in a glass container in the refrigerator.

Then I made the salad while Fred grilled boneless/skinless chicken breasts coated in olive oil and pepper. He grilled them perfectly!

I made a salad with Organic Girls Mache Blend, (a mixture of mâche rosettes, baby red chard, baby green chard, tango), then added chopped carrots, green onion, radishes, tomato, avocado, cucumber.

I cut up the chicken into bite size pieces and added to the top, along with some feta, then drizzled some extra virgin olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar. TADA! Dinner is ready!

It was amazingly fresh and delicious – the texture of the quinoa added something special.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Rita Pacheco!

Rita Pacheco | ArtFoodHome.com

I-5 Sunset by Rita Pacheco  6×6″ Oil on Panel

Rita Pacheco. Nice paintings! Very painterly! I love her brush strokes, colors, and the wonderful vibe that comes from them. Who would think sitting in traffic could be so pretty? The power lines add a nice touch… and other than the wonderful colors in the sky, I love, love, love the brake lights!

Rita Pacheco | ArtFoodHome.com
High Tide by Rita Pacheco  – 20″ x 24″ oil on linen

Isn’t this fabulous? Can’t you just hear the water? By the looks of the flag there is a nice breeze, ahhhh, nice! Feel the warm sun hit your face… See all the emotions a painting conjures up? THIS is why art is so amazing!

You simply must check out Rita’s website, there are truly so many wonderful paintings, you don’t want to miss it!

Rita Pacheco | ArtFoodHome.com

Read a bit about Rita, (info from the artist):

Rita Pacheco is an award winning plein air and studio oil painter, residing in Carlsbad, California. She began her formal training at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, and continued her education with classes an workshops from other prominent figurative and landscape painters. Rita spent several years in restaurant and hotel design, creating technical drawings and architectural perspective renderings. Today, she is a Signature Member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, an Artist Member of the California Art Club. She also maintains membership with and has been juried into several Oil Painters of America Exhibits. Rita is represented by Hillside Fine Art, in Claremont, CA and the Crystal Cove Alliance in Newport Beach, CA.

All images via RitaPacheco.com, used with permission…

Catch you back here tomorrow!

At a snails pace…

ArtFoodHome.com | barbara stroud

The heat/humidity = moving at a snails pace. Here’s proof, ha ha.

We often see snails slithering their way across the sidewalk, but I’ve never seen one with the shell. I just read about snails… how they create their shells from the liquid that oozes off of them (very technical explanation, eh?) – interesting…

Stay cool if you’re in a part of the world where the heat and humidity really up there right now!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Jacob Dhein!

Jacob Dhein | ArtFoodHome.com

Nude in Blue V by Jacob Dhein – 20×18.5″ Oil on Panel

Jacob Dhein. Stunning paintings. Different. Realistic. Abstract. What a cool combination! Jacob has quite a story (as you will read below). I think his work is incredible! Check out his website to see more of his work!

Read a bit about Jacob, from his website:

Jacob Dhein was interested in art as a child. Crayons and colored pencils were his tools of expression. He spent hours intricately crafting drawings of comic book heroes and animals. By the time he graduated from high school, one of his drawings was exhibited on the wall of a local bank. It wasn’t until he was a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh that he decided to take a drawing class. He found this so compelling that he continued with sculpture and painting. During this time he met several accomplished and influential artists who encouraged him to pursue a career in art. Tc Farley, his advisor and sculpture professor, taught him about the struggle and dedication one needed to succeed as an artist. Li Hu, his painting professor, showed him the professional side of the art market and what he needed to do if he wanted to paint for a living.

In 2006, Jacob graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in Painting and Sculpture. He worked for several years after graduation, although still continued with his artwork, mainly doing portrait commissions. During this time he took workshops to enhance his skills with painters whose work he was interested in. After two years, in 2009, Jacob dedicated himself to painting full time. Upon reflection he realized that there were missing elements in his artwork he needed to explore if he were ever to reach his goal of mastering the medium. He searched for a school that had a renown faculty that excelled in the area of representational painting. He decided to get his Masters of Fine Arts at the Academy of Art University, San Francisco that he completed in 2013. In 2014, Jacob started teaching drawing and painting at the Academy of Art University, San Francisco.

All images via JacobDhein.com, used with permission…

Catch you back here tomorrow!

House Plan: The Mises Plan (C0512) by Allison Ramsey Architect!

The Mises Plan (C0512) by Allison Ramsey Architect

The Mises Plan (C0512) / Allison Ramsey Architect

The Mises Plan (C0512) by Allison Ramsey Architect! This plan is 3,044 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. I love the look of this house. Great porch, wonderful windows, interesting roof line. It’s different. I love different!

The Mises Plan (C0512) by Allison Ramsey Architect

The Mises Plan (C0512) / Allison Ramsey Architect

This is a generous size plan, just over 3,000 square feet, downstairs you have three bedrooms. I would use Bedroom 3 as a Study (as they have it marked). That way the person in Bedroom 2 has their peace and quiet. I like the center foyer, that would be fun to decorate! The dining room is more traditional, and the Breakfast/Kitchen/Living areas look like where I would do most of my living! I would maybe even use the formal dining room as an office?

LOOK at that screened porch! That would be wonderful! So many options!

The Mises Plan (C0512) by Allison Ramsey Architect

The Mises Plan (C0512) / Allison Ramsey Architect

You know what I’m thinking? The Playroom would be a really nice Art Studio space!! I love to hear your ideas, or what type house plan you’re looking for… Large? Small? One floor? Narrow, wide? Let me know!

Click HERE to see images of the real house!

All images via AllisonRamseyArchitect.com, used with permission…

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Jane Oriel!

Lucky by Jane Oriel 18x14" Pastel on Paper

Lucky by Jane Oriel
18×14″ Pastel on Paper

Oh. My. Gosh! Precious doesn’t begin to describe this painting of Lucky! This sweet dog in combination with that wonderful wallpaper makes a heart stopping awesome painting! The colors all blend perfectly – what a sweet face! Jane has a real knack for capturing the innermost feelings of these beasts (I say that lovingly)!

Lux, Presto & Chico by Jane Oriel 24x36" Oil

Lux, Presto & Chico by Jane Oriel
24×36″ Oil

Another painting, this one is in oil. The wonderful rug, the three happy dogs just chilling out! Are you looking to have someone create a wonderful pet portrait? Look no further! Click HERE for more information regarding Jane’s portraits, prices, etc…

Read more about Jane, from her website:

Jane Oriel’s work can be found in many private collections and has been exhibited in solo and group shows nationally, for over 25 years. While living in NYC in her twenties, she studied at The Art Student’s League, Parson’s School of Design and The School of Visual Arts. After working as a Graphic artist for many years, Jane moved to Woodstock, NY where she started to exhibit her work and gain confidence as a painter. Her work continues to lead her to many different projects.

In addition to editorial illustration, private commissions, large scale public art and graphic design, she has created art work for many non-profit and community organizations, including many animal rescues.

“Creating artwork is where I feel most alive. It requires every part of my concentration. It forces me to trust that where I end up is meant to be.”

All images via JaneOriel.com, used with permission…

Catch you back here tomorrow!